vi.
Alyss sat at their usual table waiting politely for the rest of the party to come. She had warmly greeted Jenny and her childhood friend had shown her to her table along with the older courier. They had talked for some time before Jenny had been called once more to her kitchen. The place was bustling with activity and there was not a single second in which Jenny got to take a breath but somehow she still managed to give the best service to each of the costumers. When she finally got around and back at the Couriers' table they were in the middle of a discussion of the news Will and Halt had brought.
"It just seems too confusing." Alyss sighed pressing her temples.
"Nothing is yet sure." Pauline assured her with a comforting pat on the shoulder. "Up until now there has been nothing else to support that girl's claims."
"I think I'm more anxious of meeting her than of the thought of a possible prisoner that can give us information." The girl said returning to her regular self.
"A new girl?" Jenny asked, allowing herself a few moments to sit down and rest her feet. "What is all this business you're talking about?"
"Well, you see, a few days ago Will met this girl in the road who said there was an invasion coming from her own country. We're still not very sure she was saying the truth, but Will and Halt say she just looked too honest to be lying."
"So where is she now?"
"She and Gilan had to track some aggressor back on the road but they came back this morning. They are coming here." Alyss smiled playfully at her friend and nudged her with her elbow. Jenny knew all too well what it was about and smiled in return. "What are you cooking today for your Ranger?"
"Wait and you'll see."
Pauline watched the interchange with the hint of a smile remembering her times as a young girl ready to turn everything into some love story. She was more than glad Alyss and Will had grown so close in the last years and watched their relationship with motherly approval. Likewise, she held Jenny and Gilan in high esteem and approved of the small progress the two were doing.
"I will tell you I got some special tart." Jenny said after some time with a wink. She stood up from her chair knowing they wouldn't be long now and got ready to receive them—especially one of them. "I made sure…"
Her voice trailed off when the door opened and in came four figures wearing greenish cloaks that sometimes made it hard to focus on. Almost as if they had counted it off, the two at the back pushed back the cowls to reveal wide smiles as they laughed at some comment the blond figure had said. In less than a minute they were near their table and Pauline and Alyss stood to greet them. It didn't escape Jenny's notice how Gilan and the new girl seemed to smile to each other more than to Halt or Will. The cook took a deep breath to bring down her anger before she printed a smile to greet the party.
"This is Maiah Moonshine." Halt said introducing the blonde to the women.
Alyss of course stood a good couple of inches above the girl and from up there she looked critically at her. She looked careless and fresh, like most youth do, but having had experience with others she knew looks could change if the situation asked for it. Still, the young courier saw a hint of knowledge in those green eyes that went through even if she tried concealing it; the rest of her, however, didn't seem to conceal anything in the least; perhaps it was her pale skin or her childish grin, but even a common farmer could have seen through Maiah. Finally, the tall girl noticed that despite Maiah's cheerful personality, the girl still kept her distance towards Halt who was considered as the authority; not like most people did, but rather as if she had been taught to adore her elders by fear.
"Well, well, sit down." Jenny said making sure she caught Gilan's eye. When she saw the smile the Ranger gave her, the dark shadow that had been over her lifted and she decided to head that way back to the kitchen. She forced herself to get back to the food but couldn't help noticing the new girl sitting down between Alyss and Gilan.
"This is such a nice place." Maiah said looking around as she sat down. "I bet the food is just as good."
"When have you guessed wrong?" Will asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I've had my days." She answered with a smile. "You know, when my fortune-teller instinct fails."
"You have to keep an open mind for the future to come to you." Gilan said almost too serious to be taken as a joke. But Maiah seemed to get it right away.
"Well, you see, I tried to but then my brain fall off."
Halt was startled by the sudden bark of laughter that came from those around him. Even Pauline started warming up to the girl and smiled at what the young ones said. It was just a matter of minutes before their table—always serious and quiet and characteristic of Ranger behavior—turned into a lively spot; above all their voices, Maiah's stood out like the melody of a flute.
"Either you move to a different table or close your mouth before people start thinking Rangers and Couriers are a goofy lot." Halt bantered just half joking. He had become aware of the looks of people around them and knew part of a Ranger's authority came from their taciturn and reserved ways. He wasn't about to let this girl bring all those years of building their reputation down in a meal.
"I'm truly sorry." Maiah said quickly pulling her features to a quieter mood. Once more Halt was surprised at the discipline of the girl while the other four—Pauline included—took longer to return to their serious selves.
Just then, their meal came. Several waiters and waitresses set down plates of steaming onion soup and it was quite obvious when Jenny herself set down Gilan's soup right in front of the Ranger. From the corner of her eye she watched the girl but her newest costumer didn't seem to be paying any attention whatsoever to the young man sitting next to her. She seemed deep in thought staring at the soup before her trying to find something in it. Satisfied, Jenny told Gilan to ask for anything he might need and turned to attend some complaining client.
"Did the Mazoniric woman give you trouble?" Halt asked aware of Pauline's scowl at discussing business at the dinner table. However, the woman looked just as curious once the matter was opened.
"She was quite easy to find, as a matter of fact." Gilan answered after some soup. It was as delicious as ever. "And we were able to catch her off guard but Maiah was right, she's just as dangerous at close quarters than a Ranger with a bow."
"Did she carry a sword?" Alyss asked somewhat concerned. She knew, as well as everyone else at the table, that if the foreigners were as good with a sword as a knight and as sneaky as a Ranger they would have a hard time fighting them.
"Not exactly." Gilan said frowning as he recalled Prowessa's long blade.
"It was a lamniatti." Maiah said without looking up. Her voice wasn't more than a whisper but they still heard the weight that single word carried. "Is almost like a sword but a couple of inches shorter and the steel is harder. Only the most skilled and eldest of Seers obtain one after conquering a determined amount of acres almost single handedly."
"You don't have one?" Alyss asked feeling her mouth go dry with the description of her culture.
Maiah slowly shook her head, "of the five Seers left only Prowessa has one. Or had, since we took it away from her."
"What about others outside Seers?" Will asked, all but forgetting his food in his excitement over the news.
"Alia perhaps. But they are not easily made. In fact, they are forged miles up north and it takes almost three months to arrive after the ruler tells you you've earned it. You don't really need to worry about them anymore. Prowessa was the only one skilled enough to pose a threat to a swordmaster."
"You seemed to be handling her quite well without a swordmaster." Gilan said raising an eyebrow at the girl next to him.
"She was groggy from sleep." She defended but Halt suspected she was just being modest. He was yet to see the girl's skills but judging by the words of both his old apprentices she was up to level with them.
"But after disarming her you took her prisoner." Alyss said with a small doubt in her statement.
"Not exactly." Gilan answered. "Not only does she carry an awful lot of knives and weapons, but for some time there was hand to hand combat. Just another one of those things Prowessa excels at."
"And I suppose others have the same skill though not as developed?" Halt put in already gathering all the facts that had been said and filing them in the proper place in his mind.
Maiah simply nodded. "the good news is, there are only three more Seers and neither of them are as skilled as Prowessa in anything. In fact, she always used to say they were no better than male warriors—no offense."
"None taken." Halt answered but still saw Alyss and Pauline exchange a quick smile.
The table remained silent as everyone munched over the information they had acquired. They filled the lack of words with a few spoonfuls of coldish soup never really paying attention to the food. Perhaps they had just found Araluen's match of intelligence and armed power. There was just one thing that continued in their advantage: they were fighting in home territory.
Jenny saw the party finish their soup and got the next plate ready. She put extra care when preparing Gilan's and Maiah's as sloppy as her pride allowed, and headed out after their plates had been cleared. Once again, Gilan and the girl were deep in conversation almost isolated from the rest of those present. She made sure to stop it as she headed their way with the hot plate of lamb in her hands. When she got there Will sat a little straighter anticipating the food, and Halt, Pauline and Alyss stopped midsentence clearing the space in front of them as the plates were set down. However, Jenny gasped furiously when she realized the other two had simply put their napkins aside without turning to face the front nodding encouragingly for the one talking to continue.
"Here you go." She said clearing her throat as she set the plate in front of him brushing his elbow to get his attention.
He did turn to look at the plate almost uninterested but Jenny felt a knife stab her when his words reached her ears. "It's missing the carrots."
He handed her back the plate without much of a glance her way and continued speaking to Maiah quite interested in the topic. Never in the time she had owned the restaurant—even before, when she had worked at the castle's kitchens—had she been told with such nonchalance that her dishes missed something. That alone was enough to send her over the board in anger, but that it had been Gilan who had always complimented even her worst dish filled her eyes with tears she fought to hide from the people around them.
Turning on her heel she left the plate at the edge of the table and walked back to the kitchen with her chin high up. Once in, she slammed the door to her tiny office and allowed a small sob to rip through her chest.
Gilan, however, had been too far into the conversation to even remember returning his plate and when he finally saw it next to him at the edge of the table he pulled it over and started eating. He would still talk with Maiah in between mouthfuls but soon became aware of the hard look the rest of the party were giving him—especially Alyss. He threw a questioning look in Will's way but his friend simply shook his head; when he tried Halt the response wasn't much different. Eventually, the tense environment turned the words into silent eating which made the food choke in a lump in their throats as they tried avoiding the other's eyes.
They picked up their plates when everyone was done and this time Jenny didn't come out to deliver dessert. Gilan wondered about this since he was well aware she enjoyed the compliments he had prepared for the plum tart she always made for him; however, it seemed none of the others were surprised by it and set to silently eat their tart.
"You know, you could tell me what the heck is going on." He said finally, unable to hold back the curiosity that was nagging at him regarding his friends' silence.
"I'm quite sure you know what happened." Alyss sniffed without meeting his glance. To his left, Maiah sat quietly poking her slice with a fork; she showed no interest in the conversation though he was sure her ears were as alert as a Ranger horse's.
Will scowled at Gilan accusingly but his features softened when he saw the Ranger's clueless expression in his face. He realized there was no way Gilan was just pulling it off, he truly was unaware of what had happened. With a sigh he said, "You were extremely rude to Jenny and should apologize to her this second."
The truth was Gilan didn't really remember anything about it as he had been too into the conversation to notice anything outside of it. He had a small feeling that Will was right but nothing too concrete to pinpoint it much less apologize truthfully. "What did I say?"
"A slightly harsh comment on the stew." Halt prompted knowing everyone had turned against his old apprentice and deciding to lend him a hand. "I understand you were deep in conversation but perhaps an apology to Jenny might help you in the future."
"In the future?" Pauline reproached giving her husband a hard look.
"Aright, aright." The grizzly Ranger mumbled. "You should try to comfort Jenny."
"She ran out crying." Alyss said and immediately hid a smile of satisfaction when she saw the concern pass through Gilan's physiognomy.
Maiah jumped out of her chair when Gilan stood so abruptly the plate clattered on the table. It had been more of a reflex than anything when Gilan's arm swung just where her head had been. Without another word, the Ranger headed to the kitchen where he knew Jenny would be. Finding herself standing awkwardly by the table, Maiah took her seat once more and quietly continued poking the dessert. She knew it was good but couldn't really bring herself to finish it since after the first bite she had felt a little queasy. Still, she had observed the cook, Jenny, and her scowls in Maiah's direction told her that leaving the half eaten tart would be a bad idea. So she imagined Prowessa standing behind her telling her to finish it and in less than ten bites the plate was clean even when she felt it come back up several times.
"Perhaps we should leave them now." Pauline said standing up and grabbing her cloak.
Halt shrugged and got ready and after paying the girl on duty the small party went outside where the sun had set and the chilly air had begun to blow. On their way back, however, Maiah realized the last days had been full of attention yet now that Halt and Pauline walked at the front and Will and Alyss huddled together she walked to the back of the group with no one to talk to. Before coming here she had been more than used to spending weeks without uttering words but after the last days it was extremely different. She was aware she was a talkative person and it was just that fact that made her training as a Seer much harder, but when she knew the pressure of Prowessa right behind her back she forced herself and that way she had disciplined herself for the last thirteen years.
It can't seriously be that hard to keep your mouth shut if you have done it before. She told herself and felt the frown settling on her face. But she knew it wasn't the fact that she couldn't keep her mouth shut but rather that she enjoyed talking with Will, and Halt, and especially Gilan. She had never had this much trouble before because she hadn't had anyone like them that would listen. And now that reality came back to smack her in the face, the reality that outside the road the three Rangers did have a life that had started without her and that now it was impossible to get her back into the picture, she forced herself to remember that she hadn't come to make friends and have a good time but that she had a duty to these people and her business here was not social but political. Just because Prowessa is locked up in a cell doesn't mean you can go around making friends because you came to warn them of Alia's plans and even though they don't consider you a Seer anymore, you still need to behave like one the whole time you're doing business; and that is every second of your stay at Araluen.
With a new fire in her eyes, Maiah lifted her chin and continued on her way, her mind set into a state of discipline that only a few are able to control. She wouldn't rest until she knew everything in her power had saved the people of Araluen and she couldn't have done anything else to stop the invasion.